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Street art is well known for its finite lifespan and dependence on documentation for audiences outside of the immediate vicinity of the public work to experience it. French street artist FAREWELL typically creates accompanying videos along with his interventions, expertly documenting the entirety of his project from conception to execution. And Strip Box might be his best yet.

As seen in this poetic yet instructional video, FAREWELL creates a rather simple device (which the artist calls the “destructeur”) with wood, hardware and X-Acto blades. Executed in Paris, the destructeur is placed inside of a bus stop’s rotating advertisement, creating a self-shredding device when the ads rotate. Strip Box is not only ingeniously simple, but also strongly imagines a world where advertisements disrupt themselves. (via vandalog)

The animator and designer St. Francis Elevator Ride’s delightful animated gifs read like the 21st century’s response to the Pop Art masters of the 1950s; using vintage ad imagery, the artist marries retro aesthetics with modern technology. The 1950s moon landing even makes a subtle appearance! Using the seductive visual powers of color, form, and motion, he explores the endless allure of kitsch appliances, electronics, and other pop culture or commercial materials.

Like Richard Hamilton did with the iconic collage Just what is it that makes today’s homes so different, so appealing?, the mixed-media artist focuses much of his attention on domestic consumption. A chipper 1950s nuclear family is shown to be enjoying a night of bonding over screens, and a woman with perfectly coiffed hair replaces her eyes with dollar signs. The human body and sex drive become fused with images we intellectually associate with the media; as with the work of Roy Lichtenstein, flesh is rendered in polka dots, and women’s tears are represented in dramatic comic book-style shapes.

The body of work, dripping in a charming sort of irony, is made in a way that parallels its content. Like the Cleaver-esque family before the television, the viewer is seduced and transfixed by St. Francis Elevator Ride’s images. The eye is manipulated by an expert understanding of color; opposite colors like green and magenta alternate and flash at break-neck speed, forcing a sort of optical illusion that commands attention (this technique was widely employed by Andy Warhol). As technology and media integrate seamlessly into our home lives, our sense of identity shifts in challenging new directions; from these charming gifs, we might draw insight into the changing definitions of personal agency, selfhood, and intimacy.

Rarely does advertising serve up such a smart, practical use of media like the new IBM campaign (designed by Ogilvy France). The intriguing billboards incorporate flat design in a 3-Dimensional capacity, building benches, awnings and helpful ramps to make the urban landscape a little bit “smarter.” By rethinking this simple medium, their message links the tech giant with innovation, intelligence and ingenuity in the physical world—a major feat of creative strategy. [via]

Mike Perry is of the artist/illustrator/designer/art director/teacher/typographer/zine-maker breed who have put all their energy into making a living off of creativity. Taking inspiration from Steven Harrington (an LA contemporary), cartoons, and mid century ad copy, Perry’s work is all about enjoying life and encouraging others to live more creatively à la Sister Corita. He has a show up right now until November 20 in Brooklyn called Wandering Around Wondering. I use the term “show” loosely, Because keeping in the spirit of 100% outward-directed positivity, it’s equal parts original work, workshops, and open community events, all of which are free. His press release describes it pretty well:

“Wandering Around Wondering is a free three-month community exhibition and series of events that will coincide with the launch of my monograph, published by Rizzoli. The event space will host workshops, screenings, gatherings, open discussions, and much more — conducted by me and a select group of design and illustration professionals. The space will become a dynamic environment for continuous creation, where visitors will be able to explore freely and create their own unique experiences.”

Design studio POGO, based in Argentina and makes beautifully slick commercial work, was commissioned by MTV to re-create the identity of the MTV 16 and Pregnant (don’t think I need to explain what this show’s about…) in collaboration with MTV World Design Studio Buenos Aires. I’m not certain how I feel about the new image for this show, it’s a mixture of fear, disgust, and hilarity. And being generally torn about the direction of my moral compass. I don’t know, what do you guys think?

Examples from several Greenpeace-commissioned ads that have just been revealed in and around Copenhagen airport in the run up to the 15th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP15) that takes place in the city next week. These ads feature a doctored image of a current world leader looking ten or so years older lamenting for their current inaction. Ad writer Toby Cotton of new agency Arc Communications (seemingly without a real website yet?) says about his choice of design that “the brief from Greenpeace International was simple, to put pressure on world leaders to create a fair and binding agreement at Copenhagen.” World leaders and big players in the Conference from around the world including Nicolas Sarkozy (France), Gordon Brown, (UK), Stephen Harper (Canada) and Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (Brazil) join President Obama in the ranks.